Bonded By Blood
by LeYoYo
Summary: A woman named Chloe Beale has been murdered. Beca Mitchell just wants to know who killed her best friend. Jesse Swanson just wants to clear his name. But both don't know that they want each other.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I know I am being a complete douchebag, doing this while I have two other crappy stories to do. But bear with me. My head has loads of ideas, but I have no idea how to write them down. And then this _thing_ suddenly came. Enjoy.

* * *

 _"_ _Jesse…" Beca sighed._

 _Her porcelain skin was paler and more translucent than before. The zephyr lifted her cascading hair, loose strands fluttering by her elegant cheekbones. And, there were her eyes. They were mesmerizingly icy steel-grey eyes, but held warmth with the intensity of the sun. Thousands of stars would dance and twinkle within their fierceness, and he knew he would never get tired of gazing into them._

 _The engagement ring he had bought from the reputable jewelers down near the goldsmiths lay in his pocket. It was a 9 - carat diamond ring, embedded in a band of pure gold, engraved with_ 'Beca' _on the back. He'd told his butler to deliver his invitation to Beca, to meet her behind the theatre after her rehearsal. Jesse was sure she would accept, they had known each other for six years, and could read each other back to front._

 _But knowing Beca as well as he did, he could see the clouded uncertainty in her eyes, as if she knew what were about to happen. He desperately wanted to comfort her, and convince her to marry him, but he knew it wouldn't help the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. So he kept quiet, and waited for her to say something._

 _"_ _Jesse, I have… thought about it…" there was a hesitant pause, as Beca thickly swallowed, "And, I don't think we can stay together. I… I…"_

 _Jesse could feel his knees crumpling. He had been so sure…_

 _"_ _I don't love you anymore…" she half-whispered, half-sobbed, her tiny hands clenching in tight fists, as if to pull herself together._

 _That was the ultimate blow. Jesse gazed into her eyes, squinting, trying to decipher this mysterious and intricate puzzle of a woman he had fallen for. Fallen too deeply for it seemed. His chest was pounding, his heart shattering with each pump. What had he ever done? Then, he remembered. All those years, when his father would frown disapprovingly whenever he brought Beca for tea, when his siblings would look down on her, and the forlorn expression masked by apathy on Beca's face. She couldn't be with him if that was the response she received in every nobleman's home. She must have found an actor who had the same social status, one who loved her unconditionally and one whose family didn't belittle her wherever she went. But he couldn't part ways without one last thing. The thing he desired most._

 _"_ _Then give me one last kiss, Beca. It's all I'll ever ask from you," Jesse pleaded her, enveloping her stiff hands with the warmth of his large ones._

 _She didn't respond. Her eyes were focused on the lush grass beneath them._

 _"_ _Please… Beca…"_

 _Simultaneously, she crashed her lips onto his. He breathed in her sweet honey lavender odour, his hands tightening around her tiny waist. This was the last one. The last one he would ever get from the woman he loved the most, so he made the most of it. They stood there, in each other's embrace for a solid five minutes, before breaking apart. Her eyes were glistening with moisture. Tears…? But how could she cry when she was the one leaving him?_

 _"_ _Goodbye, Jesse. Until next time."_

 _She walked away, her moonlit dress fluttering behind her. With every step she took, he felt his heart ache more and more. Then, he remembered her words._

Goodbye, Jesse. Until next time.

 _Until next time… he hoped she would return to him one day. Soon._

* * *

Turning the letter over in his hands, Jesse let out a cry of frustration. Aubrey, massaged his tense shoulders, and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Don't worry, darling, everything's going to be okay," her mellow musical voice wafted into his ear.

"How can it be okay?" Jesse grumbled, "My ignorant idiot of a brother has raped two women in less than two goddamn days. And I have to pay 100 pounds to clear his name!"

"He's only twenty-four, sweetie…"

"And I am twenty – six! He is only two years younger than me! So he should pay for himself!"

"Darling…"

"No, stop, Aubrey, I need to clear my head."

Jesse eased himself off his chair, and let himself out into the cool evening air. He gazed at the faded posters on the streets, advertising different theatrical performances. Attractive women graced the walls, but one in particular caught his eye. It was a petite brunette, with fierce blue eyes, in the arms of a fellow actor, a tall, muscular blonde. One name entered his mind. A name he had not said in so long.

"Beca…"

He'd forgotten about her theatrical career. He'd forgotten the softness of her skin. But he'd never forget the day she left him, the iciness of her steel eyes or the stars that seemed to twinkle within them.

The handsome young blonde from the picture appeared from the theatre, glancing at the emptiness of the streets. The artist had not exaggerated at all; the blonde man was indeed well built, loaded with the brooding good looks every woman desired. Accentuated, arms packed with brawn, the slow sexy smile and the perfect golden hair. No wonder Beca had chosen the actor over him.

He lingered around the shadows for a short while then melted into the darkness once more. Jesse approached the spot where the man was standing, and noticed a small dark object hidden by the shadows. It was a gun, a Webley Bull Dog revolver, small and compact. There was a dark burgundy outline of dried blood on its barrel, and a little streak of moist blood on the muzzle. Jesse turned it in his hands, wondering what the actor was doing with the gun.

Suddenly, a shriek came from down the street, followed by the rumble of hooves. A middle-aged man on his dapple-grey clattered down the street, hollering, 'Murder! Murder! Brace youselves! There is a murderer on the loose!" That must have been where the gun came from. Jesse quickly dropped the gun and slipped into the murkiness of the shadows. Who had been murdered?

He took a detour home, skirting the farms on the edges of London and slipped through the back gate. Running his hand through the stone fountain, he rinsed away the traces of blood on the gun, and entered the house. It was awfully quiet, save the constant clicks of the typewriter in his father's, Lord Richard Swanson, study. Aubrey should be home by now, back with her bloody father, Lord Frederick Posen II.

"Darling! Are you okay?" a voice drifted into his ear as a gentle hand massaged his arms.

To be honest, Jesse found the 'darlings' and 'honeys' was a bit… annoying. He didn't want to be fussed over. But what was Aubrey doing here?

"I heard there was a murder, and you were out on the streets alone… so…"

"I'm okay, Aubrey. Aren't you supposed to be home?"

Aubrey tensed. Her face was expressionless, her frame rigid. And with a tight smile, she caressed his arm once more and said, "Oh, I was just… You know… going for a walk in the garden…"

"I came in through the garden, I didn't see you there."

"And then I went back to my father's house, to say I was going to stay for a bit longer."

"It takes you an hour to get there, and I've only been gone for forty-five minutes."

"Oh," Aubrey let out a forced chuckle, "A nobleman invited me in when he saw me walking, and his bay is very fast. The streets are empty, you know… at night…"

Somehow, I knew she was hiding something. Her voice was never like this. It was always annoyingly chirpy and cheerful. But Jesse decided to play along, to see how Aubrey would react.

"I must thank him! Getting my betrothed home safely… Do you perchance have his name…?"

Aubrey beamed at him, "Oh, yes, his name was Lucius Ave – " she paused momentarily, "I mean Lachlan Averdale Wesley! Yes, yes, that was his name!"

Jesse knew she was lying. 'Lachlan' was nowhere near 'Lucius'. And Aubrey was extremely cunning, and could lie very convincingly. The only thing that kept him from falling for her craftiness was the fact that he knew her so well. They had been introduced at a masquerade three years ago, six months after Beca had broken his heart, and their fathers decided that they were perfect for each other. They really weren't, but Aubrey had fallen head over heels for him and to appease his father's temper, he agreed to it. To be honest, he'd grown quite fond of Aubrey, and the marriage wouldn't bother him at all. It had only taken him two years to read her inside out, but even now, he was still liable to her tricks.

"Of course, Aubrey."

Jesse decided not to press the issue any further. She would only try to throw him off with more lies. And he was tired, very tired.

"Oh… darling, let's get you to bed now, shall we… You must have had a very rough day with your brother's bill and all…"

There was a sharp rap on the door. Jesse excused himself to answer it, and opened the door. There was a young boy there, to deliver the evening papers probably…

"G'night, sir. I come wit' ye' papers. Eve'nin' papers."

Jesse thanked him with the jingle of pennies and closed the door. He looked at the headline.

 ** _Unholy Murder! God Bless Our Souls!_**

This must have been the murder he had heard about. He settled into his armchair and began reading, not noticing the back gate closing.

* * *

 **A/N:** Bah. I don't even know what to say. It isn't Beta'd (non of my things are Beta'd). So, hopefully you guys see something worth keeping in it.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Yolo! I think I should change the title. Bonded by Blood is really weird, and it doesn't have a heartfelt meaning. So if you have any better titles, tell me! I'm always open to suggestion. And as usual, enjoy reading.

* * *

She squeezed through the crowd of spectators and hurried towards the curtains. Her performance had just ended, and she had to meet Luke at the Hog's Breath at 8, sharp.

She and Luke had met in a performance three years ago, six months after her confession. It wasn't a real confession. She lied to Jesse, to save him from the shame of marrying a commoner, a mere actress, when he had been destined for a nobleman's daughter. She had loved him. Deeply. And she loved him enough to save him by letting him go. And then she met Luke. Luke dazzled the audience with his gorgeous looks, and made even the proudest woman blush like a beetroot whenever he flirted with her. He was an actor as well, so… he was safe to love.

"Oh, goodness gracious!" Stacie gasped, pointing at the newspaper in her hand.

Beca peered at the paper. It was some kind of murder, in St Matthews of the Field Church. Who would kill someone in a church? Curse them.

"Who was killed?"

Stacie furrowed her eyebrows. "Someone called Chloe Beale..."

"WHAT?!" Beca screeched at Stacie. The brunette leapt into the air in fright.

"Oh my lord, what was that for?"

Beca snatched the newspaper away from Stacie and skimmed over it. It said that Chloe was repeatedly shot in her limbs and her throat had been brutally slashed when she was found. Apparently, her legs were spread wide open, and there were bloody handprints on the inner flesh of her legs. So… rape. She had been raped and then murdered. Who in the devil would do that?

She continued reading. Witnesses… suspects… her heart stopped. She saw his name. _Jesse Swanson_. Beca re-read the paragraph.

 _An anonymous witness reported that a young dark-haired man, identified as Viscount Jesse Swanson, was seen with a gun on the streets. He dropped the Webley Bulldog revolver engraved with the letter 'S' in its barrel at 8 p.m. last night. Detective Benjamin Applebaum has investigated the body, and the gun Viscount Swanson had dropped was indeed the weapon used to murder Miss Chloe Beale._

What? Jesse Swanson, the sweetest man she had ever known, murder her best friend? Beca knew it was impossible, she knew Jesse, and he would never do such a thing. Unless he had changed in the last three years. She wouldn't know, she never saw him anymore, let alone speak to him. Somehow, something told her it just wasn't Jesse.

"Beca! Are you okay?" Stacie patted her shoulder.

"Yes."

"Then get ready for Lu – wait," Stacie raised an eyebrow, "the man called Jesse, that's… that's your Jesse isn't it?"

Beca was silent, her face cold.

"Was. And he isn't mine."

Stacie studied Beca's expression. She was her rock, after Chloe had left Beca, and had met Jesse once. He was a complete gentleman, Beca was lucky to have him. And in her best friend's expression, she could see the longing in the steely pupils.

"You still love him, don't you?"

"Of course not."

"You can't lie to me, you know."

"I know that."

"Then why don't you love him anymore?"

"He was born into a noble family. I am just a commoner. A bloody actress."

"So?"

"I will only destroy him. His father said so too."

"His father… What did he say?!"

Beca's eyes widened in alarm at the slip-up. Bloody hell.

"Nothing."

"Beca…"

"Look Stace, I have to meet Luke in fifteen minutes."

"Okay. Bye, have fun."

Stacie looked after the other brunette. It was evident that Beca still loved Jesse. And Jesse… he was handsome alright, but his birth indicated that he couldn't love a commoner. This was going to be so complicated.

"Good evening, Becky."

As gentlemanly as usual, Luke pulled out a chair for her. Beca gratefully sat down, and stared at the candlelight, flickering and dancing about. It reminded her of all those candlelit dinners Jesse had taken her on when they were still an item. It hurt to think of him.

"I heard there is a performance of Romeo and Juliet in a year. I think you'd make a wonderful Juliet."

Beca nodded with a smile. Of all the plays, Romeo and Juliet. Two lovers forbidden to be with each other… the storyline was familiar enough.

"Fred said I should be Romeo… Watch' ya think 'bout that, Bec?"

"That's great."

Luke gazed into her eyes. She hated it when he did that. The blue eyes seemed too cold whenever he was suspicious. But, to show him what Beca Mitchell was made of, she stared right back, challenging his gaze.

"Something's wrong with you. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Bloody hell, Beca! Why won't you tell me?"

Beca raised an eyebrow at him and sighed, "It's nothing, okay? I'm fine, Luke."

"Not convincing me."

Beca knew the only way to make him forget was show him she was serious. She wasn't, but she didn't want Luke to know about her thoughts either. She leaned forward and gave his a peck on the lips.

"Fine, Bec, you win."

Luke settled back, displaying his broad chest as he did. Beca noticed several other women gaze longingly at him and rolling their eyes at her. She gazed at the man she had fallen in love with. As he leaned back even further, she could see a burgundy line on his collar. It was splotchy and seemed to have stained the white cotton. Blood. It was blood.

"Luke?"

He gave her a smile, "Yeah, Becky?"

"Were you in a fight?"

"Bloody hell, of course not, who do you think I am?"

"Okay, so… you never went near blood, right?"

Luke paused for a moment, his eyes hard. Beca searched his face, but it was extremely hard to unmask an actor's real emotions, especially one as talented at Luke. She knew he was hiding something, by that strange ragged breathing he always had whenever he tried to lie.

"I went near a slaughterhouse. That count?"

"Okay."

Beca felt the awkward silence between them. It was strange, Luke wasn't up to his usual chatty self.

"Luke, can we go for a walk?"

His eyes seemed to light up at the idea.

"Can never refuse you, Becky."

They exited the alehouse, Luke's arm tightening around her shoulders. He was very possessive, and she liked that. They walked on aimlessly, through the English streets, in silence.

"Bec, do you want to drop by my house?"

Beca smirked, she knew what he meant by that.

'I'm a little tired today, I'm not up for it."

"Whatever floats ye' boat, Bec."

At the end of the street, Luke's house came into view. He wasn't rich, nor was he poor, but his house never ceased to amaze her. The warm yellow of its walls reminded her of the happy days, and the mahogany door must have cost a fortune.

"Becs, you should stay, just for the night."

Beca paused. She enjoyed spending time with Luke, but her home was just a few blocks away. And, she had to rehearse their next play.

"I'm busy tonight, Luke."

"Fine…" he swept her up in his arms and gave her a deep kiss.

As he set her down, Beca giggled, and waved to him as she walked down the lane and turned into her street.

When she rounded the corner, she saw a tall dark-haired man, with a tall statuesque blonde on his arm. They were laughing, and pointing at the stars, content in each other's company. But that laugh was familiar. The man turned to speak to his beloved, and she gasped. _Him._ Jesse _._ Had he moved on already? Well, she couldn't blame him, it had been three years, and she had moved on as well. Sort of.

She smiled sadly as she walked on, still gazing at the loving looks on their faces. The woman was well-dressed, draped in velvet, satin and lace, a woman of noble birth. She was pretty, and Beca couldn't help but feel envious of her. How she longed to be born into a noble family, and not be looked down on wherever she went. And then there was Jesse. She wouldn't have to use her acting skills in front of his family, to put on her sweetest attitude, and still have their disapproval bearing down on her.

But now, she was happy with Luke. And Jesse was happy with his new beau. With a heavy sigh, Beca continued down the street. There was an alleyway ahead, one of those dark musty places, where cut throats and thieved would gather. As she neared, she felt eyes watching her every step, her every move. Beca was naturally wary, so it must have just been her imagination.

However, as she stepped into the shadows of the alleyway, a strong pair of hands reached out and muffled her shriek as she was dragged into the darkness.

* * *

 **A/B:** So, guys... Tomatoes? Pitch forks? And don't kill me because Chloe has died. She's the main character, after Beca and Jesse of course. And Beca won't die. I am mean, but not that mean. So please review. This is like my first legit AU that no one has ever thought of on this site.


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